[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/knzJWAS.jpeg[/img] [sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color][color=0bbdaf][b]#0bbdaf[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://imgur.com/Okl6AJX][color=9b9b9b][b]outfit[/b][/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=9b9b9b][b]her cabin > party[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....................................................[/color] [color=d4af37][b]#d4af37[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://i.pinimg.com/736x/9d/6c/dd/9d6cddf90421ceb4a4114345d38541ee.jpg][color=9b9b9b][b]outfit[/b][/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=9b9b9b][b]Tappi's cabin > party[/b][/color] [img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img][/sup][/center] [indent][indent][indent][indent][justify][color=808080]They weren’t far down the path, heading toward the commotion of camp, when Tapeesa started to notice how warm she was getting. At first she thought it was the temporary reprieve from the wind being within large walls that held back the mountain top gales, but it was [i]too[/i] warm. When she could no longer stand it, she pulled off her hood and started unzipping her coat. The abrupt change in temperature made her once cold fingers now burning up and hot to the touch. She wanted nothing more than to take off her heavy, insulated layers but with her bag on her shoulders, the thermos in one arm, and Elias held by the other, it was either stop everything to strip, or hold out a while longer. Elias clocked the temperature shift almost the same moment she began unzipping her coat. It felt profoundly wrong. There was no gradual transition, no shift in the wind's direction or intensity signalling a natural change. This heat simply was what it was, immediate and all-encompassing, saturating the air like stepping into a preheated room from a blizzard. It defied the frozen landscape, an invisible bubble of manufactured summer pressing in. The unnaturalness of it prickled along his spine, a silent alarm in his mind clashing with the physical relief it offered. [color=d4af37]“This isn’t natural weather,”[/color] Elias protested then, mostly to himself. His fingers flexed like he was checking for static in the air only to remember he was still wearing Tapeesa’s damn mittens. He pulled them off, stuffing them haphazardly into his pockets before the other layers followed swiftly: her oversized hat, a borrowed comfort now suddenly confining, was hooked through a belt loop; his scarf, scratchy against his neck, was shrugged loose and draped over the hat; finally, his coat was peeled off and slung carelessly over his shoulder, the weight lifting but the sense of exposure increasing. Now revealed beneath the discarded winter gear, he wore only a fitted black Henley shirt. The sleeves were pushed up firmly to his elbows, revealing the lean cords of muscle in his forearms, and the top few buttons were left undone at the throat. Yet, it wasn't the defined lines of muscle that typically drew attention once the layers were gone; it was the distinct mark on his left forearm. A pale, twisting spiral, slightly raised and silvery against his skin, that resembled a stylized storm cloud captured in flesh. His mother once called it a [i]cicatriz divina[/i]—a divine scar—but she never elaborated, just kissed it once after a fever broke and told him he was made from it. Tapeesa’s head nodded in agreement. She noted the white powder that still rested on the ground and clung to the branches of nearby trees. Snow continued to fall around them, persistent, seemingly unphased by the extreme change in temperature. There was no way to describe the weird weather phenomena and she wouldn’t have believed it if she wasn’t standing right in the middle of it. The best excuse she could think of was the Gods. Perhaps they let their children live in comfortable climates all year round? When she looked back at Elias once again, he was no longer burdened by the many layers of his, and her, clothing. While, she had a vague idea of what he might have looked like under his coat, from the brief touches of his hands, knee and arm, or the fact that he was the son of Zeus—big angry sky God, commonly portrayed with a twelve pack of abs and biceps bigger than her head—he looked fairly normal. Not in a bad way. She’d expect someone who came from Zeus to be just as intimidating, built like the Rock with a temper like a thunderstorm. But Elias seemed like a regular guy. He had a young face juxtaposed by a strong jawline with a hint of a shadow from where he must have shaved earlier. He was only a few inches taller than her, fit and muscular, but not in the Hollywood exaggerated or dehydrated sort of way. Nothing about him said demigod. To Tapeesa, he was the right balance of attainable normal that was both attractive but not inhuman like the Gods. Based on previous conversations, Elias would probably [i]hate[/i] hearing that, even if she meant it as a compliment, which she did. He seemed to carry his divine birth with a heavy significance. Being called exceptionally ordinary would only hurt his ego. Tapeesa would keep that thought to herself. Not everything needed to be shared. She was content knowing in a world of Gods, there could be demigods who felt normal, [i]human[/i], even a son of Zeus. It made camp the littlest bit less intimidating. Her gaze fell to his exposed arms. At first she noticed his muscles and how his arm hair’s lightness contrasted his dark mane. Then she noticed the silvery scar, like nothing she had ever seen before. Tapeesa’s hand slowly reached out, a subconscious curiosity taking hold. She might have asked to touch him before, but given she had already invaded his personal space several times by then, it seemed a bit superfluous. Her fingertips gently traced the raised, twisting marks. Its pale coloring contrasted by the dark ink of her [url=https://imgur.com/DxXjkQL]kakiniit[/url]. [color=0bbdaf]“I’ve never seen a marking like this before,”[/color] she admitted, her hand lingering on the scar as she looked up to meet his gaze. Her fingers were gentle, reverent almost, but they skimmed across something that had never felt small to Elias. Something he’d never thought of as just a “marking.” The sensation triggered a quick, involuntary catch in his breath, his eyes darting down to where her fingertips rested. He wasn’t used to anyone noticing it, let alone touching it with… what was that? Curiosity? Care? Just wonder, plain and quiet. [color=d4af37]“It’s always been there. Even when I was little. My mom used to say it was… a scar the world gave me before I even knew how to fight back.”[/color] He huffed out a breath, shaking his head. [color=d4af37]“She also said I was made from a storm, so... y’know.”[/color] [color=0bbdaf]“Sounds like something my Ataata would have said,”[/color] she said with a smile. The comment brought fleeting memories flooding forward from the recesses of her mind. Cold evenings perched on her grandfather’s lap, pipe smoke hanging in the air, while her mom worked late at the hospital. He’d point out the window at the stars and moon, telling stories of Inuit Gods, old fables and folktales. She never made it through more than one story. His deep gravelly voice was always warm and comforting, putting her straight to sleep no matter how hard she fought it. The memory pulled her away, just for a moment. She was tempted to run away with it and get lost in those sweet moments she took for granted as child, but it wasn’t the time. She sighed, slowly pushing it back away to reminisce on later. Tapeesa lightly tapped his mark. [color=0bbdaf]“It’s a cool birthmark… Very [i]Zeus-y,[/i]”[/color] she added with a little chuckle. Elias smiled at the lighthearted joke. [color=d4af37]“What about you?”[/color] he asked, not quite deflecting but shifting the point of focus to her out of curiosity for him. [color=d4af37]“Those…”[/color] he nodded toward her [i]kakiniit[/i], [color=d4af37]“...mean something, yeah?”[/color] Tapeesa’s brows furrowed as she tried to remember what [i]exactly[/i] her mom told her they meant. [color=0bbdaf]“They’re markings for Ocean Spirit and hunting amulets… [i]I think.[/i] My mom told me forever ago but I can’t remember anymore. I got them because they were her [i]Kakiniit[/i]—Um, tattoos,”[/color] she caught herself and translated the word before he asked. She had never really been asked about it before. Tappi had gotten them the second she turned eighteen, but various types of tattooing was common amongst the Inuit. But Elias was from a different world. It probably looked no different to him than any other tattoo someone might get. She had no problem answering his questions, but it wasn;’t one she ever considered would come up in conversation before. Reaching the end of the patch, the hibernating trees opened up to reveal the center of the camp. Before them was a large field bustling with what she could only assume were other demigods. It looked like there was some sort of party or gathering underway. There was the large bonfire that acted as their beacon, but there was also an ice rink, games, sledding, dancing, a bar and food. [color=0bbdaf]“It’s New Year’s Eve,”[/color] Tapeesa realized as her gaze found the countdown clock on the side of the colosseum. [color=0bbdaf]“I completely forgot.”[/color] Elias blinked at the scene ahead like someone stepping out of a bunker into a carnival. His brows drew together, squinting against the flood of noise and light, not because it hurt, but because it felt off. All that activity. All those people. It wasn’t the party that bothered him, though. He could do parties. He’d [i]thrived[/i] at parties, under the right conditions. It was more so that, like Tapeesa, he’d forgotten about what day it was despite its little significance. His gaze found the countdown clock. [color=d4af37]“New Year’s,”[/color] he said under his breath. [color=d4af37]“First one I’ve missed with my mom.”[/color] The words passed before Elias could stop them, and he grimaced like he regretted giving them free passage in the way he did. Yet, a fraction of a second later, a mitigating thought surfaced: at least it was Tapeesa who’d been the unintended witness. He assessed this fact quickly, concluding with a sliver of reluctant acceptance that her presence made the slip slightly, just slightly, more tolerable than if it had been anyone else in the throng. A sweet, yet forlorn smile crossed her lips as her gaze fixated on nothing particular in the distance. Tapeesa was young enough when her mother passed that she couldn’t remember what New Year’s was like when she was still alive. This would be her ninth? No, tenth New Year’s since her mother had been gone. A decade… Wow. She hadn’t really thought of it like that until that moment. She tried her best to keep her face calm, even though the pang in her chest fought to be noticed. She cleared her throat, trying to repress the thoughts that began flooding her mind. [color=0bbdaf]“Did you and your mom ever do anything special for New Year’s?”[/color] she asked. [color=d4af37]“Not really. We just stayed in and watched old movies that she could never stay awake for,”[/color] Elias admitted after a pause. [color=d4af37]“She hated fireworks. Said they were…a bit too scary for her.”[/color] There was a short, reflective silence before he added, almost like he was replaying the moment in his mind: [color=d4af37]“I asked her once if that meant she was scared of Zeus, too.”[/color] His brows drew together. [color=d4af37]“She said no. Said fireworks are loud for no reason. And that Zeus, at least, has his reasons.”[/color] And to this day, Elias wasn’t sure if that had been a compliment on her part or not. He glanced back at Tapeesa then, eyes catching hers. He didn’t offer some chipper, bright-eyed pivot or ask her for her version. Something told him that it would be better to wait and see if she would offer it instead. Or if anything… Tapeesa held his gaze when he looked back at her, offering a small smile. [color=0bbdaf]“That sounds… nice.”[/color] She had no stories or traditions of her own to share. To be honest, she couldn’t remember if she ever got to celebrate it before. Her mom probably did [i]something[/i] but it’s been long enough that any memory of it has long since faded away. A single eyebrow of his arched upwards in a playful, almost challenging expression. [color=d4af37]“Do [i]you[/i] party, Tapeesa?”[/color] Elias asked. A surprised, yet genuine laugh escaped her lips. Her hand raised to cover her mouth and muffle the little outburst. [color=0bbdaf]“Never had the opportunity,”[/color] she admitted while looking over at him from the corner of her eyes. [color=0bbdaf]“The only parties we had at the orphanage were birthday parties.”[/color] she shrugged her shoulders. Not that she hadn’t been curious to know what all the fuss was about. Drunken shenanigans rarely looked that fun from the outside, but most of her knowledge came from movies and TV. She had no idea how accurate that actually was. [color=d4af37]“Orphanage?”[/color] Elias repeated, processing that particular information. [color=0bbdaf]“You know, place for kids without parents,”[/color] she teased as if he had somehow never heard of an orphanage before. Some of Tapeesa’s initial playfulness subsided as she shrugged. [color=0bbdaf]“My mom was in a car accident when I was 8 and my [i]Ataata[/i], grandfather, passed a couple years later.”[/color] Rather than dwell on the negatives of her past that she had no control over, she sighed softly and turned the conversation back to its original topic. [color=0bbdaf]“So, [i]no[/i], no parties.”[/color] [color=d4af37]“Sorry. Not for the parties but…for all of it,”[/color] Elias said after a moment. Somehow, the words came out neither empty nor rehearsed. Then, against his usual instincts, he added, [color=d4af37]“Glad you ended up here, though.”[/color] While the response was often the same, it still always seemed to catch her by surprise. There was a melancholiness to her smile, but there was also genuine appreciation. [color=0bbdaf]“Thanks, Elias. You’re not half bad yourself,”[/color] she teased with a chuckle and playful nudge. Overwhelmed by the spectacle of the party, and just camp as a whole, Tappi nearly missed the large map stand on the edge of the field closest to them. She eagerly tugged Elias forward and grabbed one of the paper maps and unfolded it so they both could take a look. She scanned the layout, different facilities and sparsely available cabins. Luckily for her, the one closest to the infirmary was available, which seemed like the optimal location for some like her. [color=0bbdaf]“I think I want that one,”[/color] she said while pointing at it on the map. Not a moment after declaring it was hers, ‘Cabin 01’ blurred and shifted until it then read ‘Tapeesa’s Cabin.’ [color=0bbdaf]“Ok, that was cool.”[/color] Tapeesa looked back out at the party with a rejuvenated excitement. She had never been to a party. It was a bit overwhelming… the camp, demigods [i]and[/i] a party, but she was up to the challenge… hopefully. She looked over at Elias. [color=0bbdaf]“I think I’m going to drop my stuff at my cabin real quick. And ditch this coat. You’re welcome to leave your stuff there as well, if you’re wanting to get food ASAP,”[/color] she offered with a gentle smile, trying to be helpful. Elias let himself be tugged along without complaint (he was getting used to it, apparently). His eyes skimmed the map she unfolded, though he didn’t really read it. His attention was on her expression more than anything. That moment of childlike wonder when the label shifted to “Tapeesa’s Cabin” pulled a barely suppressed smirk from him. But when she offered to let him stash his stuff there, his smirk faded into something more neutral. He looked back toward the crowd as he debated. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to join. It was that he wasn’t sure how to be part of something like this without preparing for it to fall apart. Still, Elias nodded. [color=d4af37]“Sure,”[/color] he said, adjusting the bag over his shoulder. He could always figure out his own cabin a little later, considering how easy it was to get one. [color=d4af37]“Lead the way, homeowner.”[/color] [color=0bbdaf]“[i]Homeowner,[/i]”[/color] she mused to herself before starting to lead them down the path to the left. Tapeesa never imagined herself as a homeowner. Two days ago she was living in a rundown studio apartment, living off of ramen and cereal most days, and now she had a cabin all her own. While the prospect of a camp full of demigods was a lot for anyone to take in, having a roof over her head and food in her belly that she didn’t have to slave for had its perks. The closer they got, the more Tappi leaned forward hoping to catch a glimpse of the cabin. She had expected them all to be uniform and basic, like most cabins you’d see in a movie about summer camp or something. But as more of it came into view, her initial suspicions were quickly proven wrong. It looked more like a cottage rather than a cabin, and could almost be mistaken for a tiny castle with its little tower and stone fence. As they approached, she noticed, nestled in the trees behind the small home was a large glass building, practically overgrown with plants. Tapeesa couldn’t help but bounce with excitement. [color=0bbdaf]“Oh my Gods, there’s a greenhouse!”[/color] she exclaimed. [i]Ok, calm down,[/i] she told herself as she tried to regain some composure. There was plenty of time for her to explore her new dwellings. But Elias was hungry and there was a party, so her curiosity had to wait. Elias let out a low whistle as the cottage-castle hybrid came into full view, brows lifting with what might’ve been the first genuine note of impressed surprise since they arrived. [color=d4af37]“Damn. Didn’t realize we were getting sorted into Hogwarts houses,”[/color] he considered aloud. But when she spotted the greenhouse and bounced (actually [i]bounced[/i]), his expression shifted again, softening despite himself. He didn’t say anything at first, just watched her try to rein herself in, her excitement leaking out all around her anyway. [color=d4af37]“Well,”[/color] Elias said, [color=d4af37]“looks like they knew exactly who they were building this place for.”[/color] He nudged her shoulder lightly with his own. [color=d4af37]“Homeowner and greenhouse heiress. Look at you.”[/color] She laughed softly, swaying with his small bump. [color=0bbdaf]“My mom only had a tiny bay window to grow her plants for medicine… If she could only see me now,”[/color] Tapeesa beamed, thinking of all the possibilities and plants she’d grow. Maybe that was her purpose at camp, to be like her mom and help the other demigods… heal them. There was something about the prospect of having a purpose that gave her the tiniest bit more confidence. She always wanted to be like her mom and it looked like Camp might finally be her chance. Tapeesa walked past the outdoor dining table, dusted with a light layer of snow and turned the handle to one of the double glass doors, opening it into the quaint living room area. [i]Finally.[/i] She tossed the thermos onto the couch before fighting to pull her bag off. Eventually she settled for peeling her parka off with the sleeves still through the backpack straps and discarded them both on the floor. She sighed, happy to shed the layers and be rid of the extra weight. While, ideally, she would have liked to change before attending a party it was already in full swing and she didn’t think she looked [i]that[/i] bad. She wore a snug, [url=https://imgur.com/Okl6AJX]gray shirt[/url] with a square neckline and dark skinny jeans tucked into her [url=https://imgur.com/KD8yAJi][i]mukluks[/i][/url]. Knowing her hair had been blown every which way while trying to reach camp, Tappi quickly undid the double braids and ran her fingers through her hair trying to remove knots and tame flyaways. Then, in no time flat, she was able to gather it all back up and twist it into a single braid over her shoulder. She turned to face Elias as she fastened the hair tie around the end of her long hair. [color=0bbdaf]“Does this look ok?”[/color] she asked him, seeking genuine feedback because if she needed to change she would. Into what? She didn’t know. But she could figure it out. [color=0bbdaf]“Oh yeah,”[/color] she caught herself getting worked up about her own appearance that she forgot Elias’s hands were full. [color=0bbdaf]“Set your stuff anywhere. You can come grab it whenever. I trust you.”[/color] Tappi’s comment rolled off her tongue easily, without any hesitation or second thought. She said it as easily as someone else might ask you to pass the salt. It was a bad habit, trusting so easily, yet she gave it freely time and time again. Someday it would probably catch up to her. But he seemed trustworthy, to her at least. Elias let her take the lead, watching with a kind of quiet fascination as she wrestled with her parka and bag like a one-woman survival documentary. The thermos flopped onto the couch. The parka hit the floor. And all the while, she moved like someone [i]finally[/i] allowed to relax. When she fixed her hair, turned, and asked his opinion on her appearance, the words leapt instantly to his tongue. Something automatic, likely flirtatious, and definitely lacking any filter. Yet this time, a sudden, unfamiliar impulse intervened. He caught the words before they escaped, a conscious effort clamping down on the possibly shallow remark. His gaze shifted downward for a split second, drawn to the neckline of her shirt where it rested naturally now, free of the parka’s bulk, then snapped back up to her face almost guiltily, as if physically wrestling his attention away from a potential distraction. Having successfully silenced the flippant response, Elias managed to offer something simpler, more direct: [color=d4af37]“You look…good.”[/color] And as the words landed, a bit of his confidence returned. He shrugged one shoulder, a gesture that felt more natural now, and placed his belongings neatly near the door. The borrowed items from her, on the other hand, he carefully draped over the back of the couch. His focus returned to her, specifically the way her hair now fell freely, no longer constrained by the parka’s hood or winter gear. At least before she started putting it back in her braids. Still…the way it had framed her face before had been different, softer, the observation prompting his final comment. [color=d4af37]“Leave the hair out. Looks better that way.”[/color] It wasn't a demand, but his genuine preference stated plainly. [color=d4af37]“Or, you know, don’t. Doesn’t matter too much.”[/color] Tapeesa’s hands froze in the middle of fastening the braid. She slowly looked over at him with a slight flush tinting the tops of her cheeks and across her nose. [color=0bbdaf]“Oh?.. Thanks,”[/color] she said, thrown off a little by the compliments. She slipped the tie into her pocket then began unwinding the braid. Her fingers ran back through the long silky black hair, letting it rest over her shoulder and extend down nearly to the waist of her jeans. [color=0bbdaf]“You gonna help me detangle it later?”[/color] she teased, deflecting the conversation away from her poor handling of the compliments. It wasn’t a common occurrence for her, so whenever it did happen she usually was at a loss for words. Shocking, she knows. Elias caught the way her cheeks turned pink, and it pulled the corner of his mouth into a slow, knowing grin. [color=d4af37]“That depends...”[/color] he drawled, his voice dipping an octave as he engaged in his usual game. [color=d4af37]“Are you gonna make it worth my while?”[/color] However, the shift was immediate for him upon the full realization of whom he was speaking to: the girl who had taken care of him like his mother probably would have. His easy grin softened into a genuine chuckle, and he lifted one hand with his palm open. [color=d4af37]“Kidding,”[/color] Elias added with a more sheepish smile, the single word a clear white flag. Her eyes narrowed, catching the innuendo in his words, just barely. Tappi pointed an accusatory finger at him. [color=0bbdaf]“I see what you’re doing, Elias [i]Whatever-Your-Lastname-Is[/i].”[/color] While she was being serious, [i]somewhat[/i], her tone was lighthearted. [color=0bbdaf]“Those [i]smooth moves[/i] won’t work on me, mister. I’m not that kind of girl.”[/color] Her hands rested on her hips as she gave a sassy, yet assertive, nod of her head. He couldn’t pull a fast one on her… She hoped. There was a non-zero chance she was all talk, but he didn’t need to know that. [color=d4af37]“Okay, okay,”[/color] Elias said, the laugh in his voice undeniable. [color=d4af37]“No smooth moves. Noted.”[/color] He tilted his head slightly to the side as if in thought. [color=d4af37]“But for the record…I don’t think you’re [i]that[/i] kind of girl. You’d eat me alive if you were.”[/color] [color=0bbdaf]“Well… good,”[/color] she confirmed with another knowing nod. [color=0bbdaf]“You’d make it easy though,”[/color] Tapeesa added with a wag of her index finger. [color=0bbdaf]“I barely had to try to get you in my cabin. That’s like [i]half[/i] of the work right there… Ya know, if I [i]was[/i] that kind of girl,”[/color] she teased with raised brows. She meant it in a ‘you should probably be a little more cautious’ kind of way. But after a moment’s contemplation, he did seem to have flirty tendencies. She was probably just giving him more ideas. [i]Shoot.[/i] [color=d4af37]“Uhuh, sure”[/color] Elias said, rolling his eyes. He was tempted to remind her that [i]she[/i] had been the one so quick to offer trust first but kept his mouth shut about that. [color=0bbdaf]“Alrighty,”[/color] she sighed and lightly slapped her hands against her thighs. [color=0bbdaf]“Let’s get you some food.”[/color] Tapeesa picked up the discarded camp map that fell to the ground, folded it in half and carefully slipped it into Elias’s back pocket. She didn’t really notice how invasive that might have been until she was halfway done, so she quickly finished and did her best not to actually touch him. [color=0bbdaf]“You’ll probably end up needing that more than me,”[/color] she said, then quickly herded him out the door before he could linger on what she just did… [i]hopefully.[/i] Elias stilled as she slipped the map into his back pocket, just long enough to feel the brush of proximity and the sudden awareness that she was trying [i]very[/i] hard not to actually touch him. His instinct was to make a joke that made light of the action or something about boundaries. But for once, he didn’t make one of his funny cracks. Maybe it was the way she moved quickly afterward, like she was embarrassed. Or maybe it was just the way she said it to be, as always, her helpful self. So instead, he offered something rare, without any follow-up or sarcasm. [color=d4af37]“Thanks,”[/color] he said, before following her out the front door. Back outside, Tappi closed the door behind them and headed back to the main path. Considering her cabin was right across from the field, it took them all of two seconds to get to the party. Her gaze bounced around the various demigods and quickly realized she probably should have changed. There were high heels, cocktail dresses… guys in dress shirts. [color=0bbdaf]“I should have changed,”[/color] she muttered, nervously twisting the ends of her hair between her thumb and index finger. [color=d4af37]“You look fine,”[/color] Elias quickly reassured, speaking quietly enough that only she could hear. Then, to distract her anxious mind a little, he added, [color=d4af37]“Now see where you can find where they keep the food here before I have to fight someone for the last chicken skewer or something.”[/color] Tapeesa caught the compliment, squinting her eyes in protest. But she didn’t stop him from leading the conversation elsewhere before she could nervously blush, or argue, or whatever other overthinking she could manage in the half second pause in conversation. She stood frozen for a moment as she subconsciously started counting heads and coincidentally the number of people dressed nicer than herself. When Tappi reached thirteen her gaze locked on a tall and stoic looking guy talking to a petite blonde by the… [color=0bbdaf]“Food,”[/color] she said, pointing in the direction of the table while her feet already started leading them in that direction. Her pace slowed as she neared the opposite side of the pair. Tapeesa gave them both a small wave then grabbed an empty plate and held it out for Elias. Once he took it, she grabbed one for herself. While her head told her to try and put something of substance in her belly first, her eyes locked onto a tray of what looked like oreo cookies. Well, not [i]oreo[/i] oreos, but chocolate with oreo stuff in it. Guilty pleasure won out and she put a couple on her plate. She’d never let herself live it down if she didn’t get one now and they were gone later. [i]Then[/i] she was good and grabbed some kind of finger sandwich and cracker dip something or other. She wasn’t picky. Elias took the plate from her hands, his gaze sweeping over the colourful dishes while his mind calculated portions, protein sources, and calorie density, a habit forged from necessity, not greed. He grabbed a skewer of grilled meat before immediately grabbing another. Then he took even more things: some kind of hummus dip with pita, stacked high, a scoop of something that looked suspiciously like fancy mac and cheese, two oreo-ish cookies, and a third for later. By the time he was done, his plate looked like a miniature mountain made out of food, layered, a little precarious, and absolutely intentional. [color=d4af37]“What?”[/color] Elias said, catching Tapeesa’s eye then. [color=d4af37]“You think my power comes cheap?”[/color] Tappi sucked in her lips between her teeth, biting back a laugh, although the upturned corners of her lips betrayed her. [color=0bbdaf]“I didn’t say anything,”[/color] she said defensively while holding up her free hand innocently. [color=0bbdaf]“Here.”[/color] She let a small chuckle escape as she passed off her plate into his free hand. [color=0bbdaf]“Find us a table and I’ll get us something to drink?”[/color] she offered with a raised brow. Elias nodded, shifting both plates in one hand as she left, easily balancing them both. He began tearing into one of the skewers while scanning the field for a table. There were many open ones clustered near the center of the gathering, so he didn't hesitate, walking confidently toward the more occupied area nearest to the bonfire. From there, the two would have a good view of the party and, more importantly, Elias would have the chance to see and meet more people. He set the plates down on the table and pulled out one of the chairs, making himself at home before Tapeesa even arrived with the drinks. Meanwhile, Tapeesa weaved her way through the various demigods, giving little nods and smiles whenever she made brief eye contact. She had no issue socializing or getting to know fellow campers, but she was also hungry and on a mission. Who knows how long they both were out there wandering around. Sustenance took precedence before mingling and whatever else parties entailed. She managed to slip behind a pretty girl with dark hair in a striking emerald green dress that made Tappi feel even more underdressed, if that was possible at that point. As she scanned the various drinks, struggling to find something nonalcoholic, she overheard someone trying to convince the girl out onto the dancefloor. A little chuckle tickled her throat as she spotted the sodas and grabbed two cans of ice cold coke. Before she could get roped into a conversation, she weaved her way out of the crowd lingering around the bar. It took her a moment or two to find Elias, but eventually her eyes found him at a table and already stuffing his face. Tapeesa approached and set down the drinks in front of him. [color=0bbdaf]“There’s a lot of booze and not much else. I hope coke is ok.”[/color] The tips of each of her index fingers hooked under the cans’ tabs and popped them open. After pulling out the chair across the table from him, she tucked her right knee up onto the seat and sat down on the bent leg. She reached out and pulled her plate across the table toward her. She sighed, settling into her seat not realizing how desperate she was to rest her feet for a moment. Tappi broke all the rules, going for the chocolate cookie first. As she brought it to her lips, she looked over to see Elias with cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk and his mouth covered in… everything. She bit back her laugh but the guilty smile still made its way to her eyes and corner of her mouth. [color=0bbdaf]“I should have grabbed napkins,”[/color] she commented quietly before taking a bite of the mouthwatering cookie. The coke cans made a hissing sound as the pressure was released, with condensation forming immediately on the aluminum. Elias didn’t even pause in his eating and grabbed one of them, swallowing a huge gulp and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Then he was back to attacking his food, his plate already half empty. He only looked up at his companion at the mention of napkins, his face a map of whatever he’s eaten so far. [color=d4af37]“How surprisingly thoughtless of you, [i]Sra.[/i] Tapeesa,”[/color] he said, shaking his head in feigned disappointment. She watched him, with a fascinated kind of disgust as he wiped his messy mouth on the back of his hand, streaking the food remnants further up his cheek. [color=0bbdaf]“You’re a big boy,”[/color] Tappi replied. Her face betrayed her words, scrunching as if she might not fully believe what she was saying. There was a moment where her impulses nearly took over and she half reached out to stop his arm before he did it again, but she caught herself and pulled back. [color=0bbdaf]“Nope,”[/color] she chided herself. [color=0bbdaf]“I can’t be mothering you all the time. You’ll get used to it and be unbearable.”[/color] While there was [i]some[/i] seriousness in her tone, she still smiled before finally taking a bite of the long awaited cookie. [b][i]End of collab pt. 2/2[/i][/b][/color][/justify][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent] [center][sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img] [color=808080][b]interactions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] none [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]mentions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] duke, iliana, rosalia & daniel [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]collabs[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] [@Qia][/color] [img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img][/sup][/center]